Wednesday, February 27

Mackerel Fish Fry. Mackerel fish is a flavorful, firm-fleshed fish that is easy to cook, low in fat and full of nutrients. This fish is one of my very favorite, though i cook very less because of the smell, my hubby don't like this fish smell while cooking. So when ever i feel like having this fish i make it in the afternoon and wash all the dishes and spray room freshener at home, so that when he comes home there is no smell at all. Most of the time he will not know only, i had fish in the afternoon until unless i tell him.... This is one of very very easy fish fry, you can use any fish it will taste awesome and you don't need to marinate for hours. This fish will not take your precious time and yet gives you the best and delicious taste...

Ingredient's

3 mackerel fish (washed and slit on the top)

3tbsp red chilli powder

1tbsp lemon juice

1tbsp ginger garlic paste

3 to 4tbsp water

Salt as per taste

2tbsp oil for shallow frying.

Cooking Method

In a mixing bowl add all the ingredient's (except oil) and make a medium thick paste.

Then apply thoroughly on fish and keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 minutes.

In a hot frying pan add oil and shallow fry fish to golden brown, both the side.

Monday, February 18

Everyone is aware of this wonderful event running by Divya Pramil of You too can cook Indian Food. If not please click the link here to join. I'm very happy and excited to participate in this challenge. I would like to thanks to Divya Pramil for giving me a chance to be a part of this wonderful SNG group.

Paal Kolukatti... This name was very different and the recipe is very new to me, though i'm from south India , but i have never heard of this recipe. When i came to know this is the challenge for the month February, i was very excited to cook this and serve it to my family. They all just love it very much. Thanks to Sasi from the Tamil Kitchen for giving this wonderful challenge and delicious recipe to learn..

Ingredient's.

2 cups Rice flour

1 big sized Coconut

1 cup Sugar

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder (optional)

Salt 1/2tsp.

Cooking Method.

Shred the coconut and extract the coconut milk. Take one glass of the first thick milk and keep aside.Then extract the rest as thin.

Take the flour in a wide bowl and add required salt for the flour and use enough water to make a soft dough.(Don’t make it hard else it will be hard to roll to kollukattai . If you made it sticky you can cover it with a cotton cloth to observe excess water.)

Spread a cotton towel. Apply oil on your palm and take a small amount of dough in your hands and roll them in to kolukattais (as shown in the picture). Roll the rest as same and as small as possible in desired size, if you roll it in to big size then it may taste bland when cooked in coconut milk.

Allow the rice balls to dry in the room temperature, it will take 2 hrs ( Don’t let them dry under the fan or in sunlight as it will make the rice balls harder and will not cook easily. Just keep in room temperature for few hours)

Transfer the rice balls in to a plate. Set everything ready to make pal kolukattai.

Take a kadai and pour the thin coconut milk and allow it to boil.

Keep in medium flame and add half of the rice balls and don’t disturb them for 2 mins and slowly use a laddle.

Now add the rest of the rice balls and let it boil for another 2 mins and stir it with a laddle.

Allow them to boil in medium flame for 7-8 mins (untill the rice balls get cooked , stir in between to avoid sticking).

Now add the sugar and a pinch of salt and allow to boil .

The sugar will dissolve and the consistency will become thin , allow to boil for another 8 mins untill you get a thick consistency, Stir in between to avoid burning .

Now pour in the thick coconut milk and give it a stir and switch of the flame.

Wednesday, February 13

Last Valentine's day my hubby had surprised me with a very beautiful gift, but this time i will surprise him by baking his favorite muffins and buying him a gift, which actually i have still not decided, will finish deciding it by tonight for gift. I wanted to bake something with strawberry for valentines day and chocolate for my birthday which is on 17th feb. Thinking that i went to buy strawberry in the morning and bought only 1pack and they were so beautiful and tempting i couldn't not control myself and i finished it all except 2 strawberry, which i have decorated my chocolate muffins... This is the best gift i can give to my hubby and i'm very excited to see his reaction.. Happy Valentine's Day to all my friends :)

In a bowl mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and choco chips together and keep it aside

In a different bowl beat the butter with sugar till fluffy, then add eggs and banana. beat for 1minute. Now add vanilla and milk. beat for another 1 minute. Then fold in the flour mixture and mix it nicely.

Then pour the mixture into a grease muffin tins and sprinkle choco chips on top. Bake at 180c, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes for XL muffins, about 20 minutes for medium size muffins. Make a little cream roses and decorate with strawberry. The Chocolate Muffins may be served hot or at room temperature.

Sunday, February 10

Buttery Dinner Rolls. Every time when i use to see this rolls in others blogs, i use to always think that when will i be baking this rolls. After buying gloripan yeast, i really feel that i'm in heaven. Now my baking has become so so easy and better i have no words to say. When ever i bake i have a big smile on my face after seeing the result... All thanks to my loving husband for searching this awesome and perfect yeast for me and making me proud of my cooking skills. Actually i was planning to bake square rolls but i was having a small square baking tin only, so i decide to bake in round baking tin. You can choose the tin shape of your choice..

Ingredient's

1+1/2 cup all purpose flour

1+1/8 tsp dry active yeast

1/8 cup luke warm water

1/2+1/8 cup milk

1+1/2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp sugar

1/4+1/8 tsp salt.

Baking Method

Warm the milk to lukewarm (not hot) and add the butter to it so that it melts in the milk. Set aside. Mix yeast and water together along with sugar. Give it a stir and set aside until frothy.

Now add the salt and milk+butter mixture to the yeast and stir well. Slowly add the flour to this mixture until slowly incorporated.

It will slightly sticky - dont add in more flour until really necessary. The stickiness will be replaced by smooth elasticity while kneading. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough very well, it will take about 8-15 minutes!!!!

Place the dough on a lightly oiled bowl and cover it with a plastic wrap. (or damp towel).

Place it aside in a humid place until doubled.

Turn out this dough on a floured surface and roll it out into a square.

Using a knife cut it into 6 pieces.

Roll each piece out in your palm to form a rounded shape. Place them side by side on a baking round cake tin (or as the shape baking tin you want). Place them aside once again to double. Its fine if they dont look perfectly round.

They will take a beautiful shape once they double again. They will also stick to each other once doubled giving that great roll shape.

Now bake them in a pre heated 180c oven for 20-25 min or until golden brown.

Wednesday, February 6

Sheer Khurma. This is one of the very famous sweet dish in every muslim family's. I still remember when ever any festival comes my elder sis use to cook sevai first and then other things, and that is the first dish we all use to eat in the breakfast. I always use to fight with my sis why do you serve sweet first, as you know i don't like sweet and her reply use to be start the day with sweet so that your day is good as sweet. I have already one post of sheer khurma, that is the thick version. To make it little different from the usual one, I have added more milk and khova so that it can been serve as a cold sevai drink...

Ingredient's

1/2 thin sevai

1/2ltr milk

5tbsp sugar

2tbsp khova

1 cardamom, 1 clove

3tbsp ghee

4 to 5 tbsp dry fruits (almond, cashew, Rinsin)

Cooking Method

In broad pan, add ghee, when the ghee is hot, add cardamom, clove and 2tbsp of dry fruits. fry them to the lite golden brown.

Add khova and fry till the khova is melted, then add milk, mix it and bring to boil

When the milk is boiling, add sugar, low the flame and add sevai, allow them to cook for 2 to 3mintues, keep stirring in between.

Take sevai of the stove, and add left over dry fruits and cover the lid. allow them to cool it down.

Monday, February 4

Chocolate and Cinnamon Rolls. This is my new innovations and it was very good try, i was very happy with the result, and it was looking beautiful and soft. Actually i have used less sugar and less chocolate to have it with honey, i felt this was tasting good with less sugar as it less in calories. Next time i really want to try with little more sugar and chocolate to see how it taste.. I served this for next day breakfast it was just tasting very yummy.. Here is the recipe.

Preparation time- 2h 40minutes

Baking time- 30 to 35minutes

Serve-3

Ingredients.

For the dough

1/2cup Warm milk

1tsp Sugar

1tsp Active dry yeast(I used Gloripan Yeast)

1 1/2cup All purpose flour

1tbsp Butter(soft at room temperature)

2tbsp Milk + a couple of tbsp to brush over the bread.

For the filling

1/2 cup grated chocolate or Choco chip

1tsp cinnamon powder.

Baking Method

In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar and the yeast in the 1/2 cup of warm milk. Keep aside for about 5 minutes till the yeast mixture bubbles up.

Put flour and softened butter in a large bowl mix.

Then add the yeast mixture and the 2tbsp of milk and knead till you have a soft, smooth and elastic/ pliable dough which is not sticky. Add a little extra flour if your dough is sticking, but only just as much as is necessary.

Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a well-oiled bowl, turning the dough to coat it completely with oil. Cover and let it rise for about 1 1/2 hours or until almost double in volume.

Dust your work surface lightly with flour. Deflate the dough, shape it into a square and roll the dough out into a larger square that is about 12’ by 12”. Brush the surface of the square with the melted butter. Evenly sprinkle the chocolate and cinnamon powder.

Then fold the dough slowly from top to end.

Using a sharp knife, cut straight down through the folded dough dividing it into 10 equal pieces (10 round stacks).

Grease and lightly flour the round cake tin. And arrange the rolls in a tin, leaving some space in between.

Cover the cake tin rolls with a towel and allow them to rise for an hour. Lightly brush some milk over the top and sprinkle some sugar from top.

Bake the dough at 180C (350F) for about 30 to 35 minutes. Until it is done and the top is golden brown.

Sunday, February 3

With all the support and love from friends and food lovers, today Spice Ur Senses completes 3years. Thanks to all of you for your wonderful comments and feed back which encouraged me to experiment with food and and share with all. Keep supporting me like this. To celebrate this wonderful day i tried to bake "Black Forest Cake". Here are the few picture of my cake, will post the recipe next time :)